It will be tough for Maslany to repeat that nomination at the Emmys, which are notoriously unkind to science fiction programs, but if she does manage to enter the race, she may be even tougher to beat. Because while Emmy voters aren’t especially fond of sci-fi, they’re suckers for dual roles.

That’s how “Bionic Woman” star Lindsay Wagner pulled off her upset victory for Best Drama Actress in 1977. She submitted an episode in which she played good and evil characters, which helped her overcome her show’s sci-fi stigma.

But Wagner has got nothing on Maslany in that department. On “Orphan Black,” she plays Sarah Manning, who discovers that she is one of many genetic clones and searches for answers about her origin. These multiple roles allow Maslany to play good and evil characters while also adopting a number of different personalities and accents – including British, American, and Ukranian.

Multiple roles are an advantage at the Emmys because they allow actors to show off their range and versatility. In addition to Wagner, that strategy has worked for Sally Field, who won for playing a woman with multiple personalities in “Sybil,” and Erika Slezak, who set the record for most Best Actress wins at the Daytime Emmys (six) thanks in large part to storylines where she played split personalities on “One Life to Live.” More recently, Toni Collette won Best Comedy Actress for her role as a wife and mother battling her alters on “United States of Tara.”

“Orphan Black” aired its first season finale on June 1, just 10 days before the start of Emmy voting. It will return for a second season next spring.